


Home Away From Home

by juniperpuff



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alpine the Cat, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bearded Steve Rogers, Childhood Friends, Dropping the towel, Eventual Smut, Friends to Lovers, Goat Farm, M/M, Mutual Pining, Platonic Cuddling, Vacation, ish..., small town
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-16 22:48:34
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,670
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28964157
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/juniperpuff/pseuds/juniperpuff
Summary: Steve's impulsive decision to get in his car and drive until he forgot his problems led him to a middle-of-nowhere town he's never heard of. He planned on just spending the night before continuing on his way, but when his former best friend shows up out of the blue, he can't believe his luck. Picking up where they left off, Steve learns all about Bucky's new life, and quickly realizes this isn't a reunion he could ever forget.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers
Comments: 10
Kudos: 27





	1. Chapter 1

Steve’s hands clutched the wheel tightly as he sang along to the song playing on his car radio at full blast. He counted down the miles until he reached the next exit, relieved to see that there was a motel just off the highway. He had been driving for hours and the monotonous highway lines were starting to lull him to sleep. 

There didn’t seem to be a lot going on in the small midwest town he had arrived in, but all he needed was to get out and stretch his legs for the night. Steve pulled into the motel parking lot and did everything in his power not to jump to conclusions, but in all fairness, his snap judgments quickly proved to be accurate. 

He convinced himself it was fine for the night and sat on the bed in the room the grumpy front desk assigned him. Steve tossed his bag on the bed and made his way into the shower. He signed and relaxed as the warm water soothed his stiff muscles and with his eyes closed he could almost pretend like he wasn’t in some weird motel in some town he never heard of. His peaceful moment was interrupted by a loud thump coming from the other side of the wall. The thump was followed by some muffled words and then another thump, and another, and another. 

Steve hung his head as he laughed, of course this would happen to him. He jumped out of the shower and began to get dressed, trying to ignore the now comical moans coming through the wall that accompanied the repeated thumping. He looked out the window and saw that there was a bar just across the street and made his hasty get away. 

As he turned to lock the door, he noticed a tall woman standing guard of his neighbor’s door, who gave him an apologetic shrug. He laughed to himself and with a polite nod made his way to the country bar across the road. 

Steve walked in and found it was surprisingly busy. The choreographed line dancers were having an absolute blast and seemed like they had done this hundreds of times. Steve almost wished he could join in but his two left feet never seemed to figure out even the most simple dance moves. He instead opted to grab a seat at the bar, studying the dancers’ moves in hopes that he could maybe absorb the steps enough to participate. 

A few songs later, Steve was finished his beer and ready to order another when he felt something brush up against his back. Before he could turn around, he felt the weight of a body pressed up against him. He stiffened in his seat, bracing himself for what kind of crappy line he was going to be on the receiving end of. 

“So, what can a jerk like me do to get a punk like you to dance with me?” The voice was warm and smooth as it spoke. 

Steve took a moment to process what had been said, he had to admit it was a truly unique line, if not a little bizarre. No one in their right mind would call him a punk, he wore khakis half the time… Well, no one except -- “Bucky!?” Steve whipped his head around and saw the undeniable smirk of his childhood best friend. 

Without thinking Steve stood and wrapped his arms around Bucky and pulled him in tight. His brain caught up with what he was doing half a second too late but just as he started to doubt his choice Bucky’s arms gripped him equally as tight. 

“What the hell are you doing here, Brooklyn boy?” Bucky laughed as he patted Steve as he released him. 

“Well,” Steve could barely use his brain right now, he was too busy studying Bucky’s face. It had been too long since he had seen him and he just wanted to memorize every detail. “Long story short, I was driving down the highway and needed to take a break for the night but my motel room neighbors were not as tired as I was, so here I am.” 

“The one right across the street?” 

Steve nodded. 

Bucky’s laughter exploded out of him catching Steve off guard. He nervously smiled and shook his head, as memories of moments exactly like this flooded his brain. Steve saying something ridiculous, and then Bucky bursting out laughing.

“Sorry, I’m not laughing at you, I swear. It’s just the motel over there is probably not the best choice for you, bud.” 

Steve’s head tilted like a confused puppy. 

“It’s right off the highway and is notorious for being the place where a lot of long-haul truckers get some, uh, company.” Bucky’s eyes twinkled exactly how Steve remembered. 

“Oh, well then. Guess I better go buy some earplugs before I head back over to bed, huh?”

“I have a better idea. Come home with me.” Bucky stated plainly, but his eyes widened for a moment that Steve would have missed if he wasn’t staring at him so intently. “I mean, you can come stay in my guest room for the night. Like old times! A good ol’ sleepover.” 

“Buck, I can’t impose like that! I’ll be fine, I swear.” 

Bucky rolled his eyes and finished the rest of his beer before depositing it on the counter. “No need to be Captain Sacrifice, I have a spare room that is built for friends to come stay in. You’re my friend, so you should stay in it. I promise it’s a comfy bed, and I can almost guarantee there will be no truckers banging on the walls at all hours of the night.”

“Only almost?” 

“Well, a man’s got to leave his options open, right?” Bucky waited as Steve took his final sip and got to his feet. 

“I’ll go grab my stuff and my car, do you want to put your address in my phone and I’ll head over there after?” 

Bucky started typing into Steve’s phone, but when he handed it back there was no address, just his phone number added as a contact. 

“I don’t want you to get lost in the country, city boy. Want to just come with me? I’ll bring you back to your car tomorrow so you can be on your way, I promise. We can even have breakfast together before you leave. Best pancakes ever, I promise.” 

Steve thought about it but he has never been able to say no to Bucky Barnes. “I’ll go grab my bag, meet you out front.” 

Steve got into his motel room, grabbed his bag, and rushed back to the bar. He found Bucky leaning against the side of a pick up truck, a sight he didn’t think he’d ever see. 

“James Buchanan Barnes, you drive a pick up truck.” Steve’s disbelief made Bucky roll his eyes as he jumped into the driver’s seat. 

“Punk.” Bucky mumbled as Steve hopped in. 

“Jerk.” 


	2. Chapter 2

It was a comfortable silence as they made their way to Bucky’s house. He wasn’t wrong about getting lost though. After only five minutes Steve couldn’t even tell you which way the highway was. Quickly the route turned to gravel and as the truck bumped along in the dark Steve missed the lighted roads of the town simply because he couldn’t see Bucky’s face properly. He tried to tell himself that it was just because he hadn’t seen Bucky in so long, but in the privacy of his own mind he knew that wasn’t the truth. 

“I can hear you thinking over there,” Bucky’s hand came down on his shoulder and shook Steve out of his thoughts. 

“Where the hell do you live, Barnes? Are you taking me into the woods to kill me?” 

“Well, if I was I wouldn’t tell you.” 

“Fair point.” Steve smirked. 

It wasn’t long before Bucky slowed the truck down and turned on to a long laneway. They made their way up around the corner revealing the cutest little farmhouse. The porch was illuminated by lights, and as they stepped out of the truck they were greeted by a big slow bark. 

“Easy bud,” Bucky scratched the big dog’s head causing his ears to flap wildly. “So, I guess I should introduce you to one of my roommates. This is Pork Chop. And before you judge the name, it was Becca.” 

“Love the name.” Steve was already kneeling beside Pork Chop and being covered in kisses. 

“Hey, go easy Pork Chop. Ask for consent first.” 

Steve was giggling as he was covered in sloppy puppy kisses. Easily one of his favourite things. Bucky laughed and opened the farmhouse door, picking up Steve’s bag as he headed in. 

“I’ll be inside when you two are done making out.” 

Steve got up and wiped his face off, following Bucky inside with Pork Chop close on his heels. “You said he’s one of your roommates, who are the others?” 

“Oh, just the queen of the house,” Bucky turned and revealed a purely white cat that was already in his arms. “Meet Alpine.” 

Steve held his hand out for her to sniff, knowing he already fully smelled like dog slobber. He was worried she wouldn’t like him because of it, but after a quick sniff she rubbed her head into his hand until he was petting her softly. She started to climb from Bucky’s arms and managed to jump on Steve as Bucky stood dumbfounded. 

“First you steal my boy, now my girl. God, remind me not to introduce you to my goats or I’ll have nothing left when you leave me again. All my animals will hate me.”

“Bucky Barned owns goats?”

“Bucky Barnes owns goats.” He confirms with that signature Bucky Barnes confident smirk. 

They make their way into the kitchen where Bucky passes Steve a glass of water. Alpine weaves her way between Steve’s feet as he sits up on the bar stool against the island and Pork Chop is leaning against his calve waiting patiently for more pats. 

“Traitors.” Bucky says without any malice, his smile wide as he drinks from his tall glass. 

“So, goats…” Steve’s voice trails off as he awaits an explanation. 

“What?” Bucky laughs again, the sound radiating through Steve in a way that brings him back to his teen years. 

“I need an explanation. What the hell happened to you, man? Last I heard, you and your family were moving to the country so your mom can be the chief of surgery at a hospital and you were set on coming back to New York as soon as you turned 18. I’m just curious what happened to Brooklyn’s own Bucky Barnes that turned him into Cowboy Bucky.”

Bucky’s cheeks flushed lightly as he looked down. Steve couldn’t help but stare at the way his long lashes rested against his cheekbones despite the fact that he was internally begging his brain to focus. 

“Yes, mom got the job and that was all well and good. The hospital is not too far from here actually. Well, about an hour I guess? I hated living in the country at first. I missed New York, I missed pizza, I missed you,” Bucky cleared his throat, “I got really lonely here if we’re being honest. We lived in a suburb. You heard me right, Steve. A SUBURB. It was horrible. Shiny, happy people talking about yard sales and barbeques. It was my nightmare.” 

Steve listened intently, trying not to stick on the fact that Bucky missed him. 

“I was doing really bad in school, I hated being there so I would just leave all the time. Eventually, the guidance counsellor put me in this all-day co-op program for a semester where I would go work on a farm. Being away from all the people was really, really, nice. I cannot stress this enough Steve, as a sixteen-year-old angry boy, I was so mad at these people for being happy. So I hung out on this farm a few miles away from where we are now and learned how to farm. I liked the farmer there. He was mad too. His wife had just left him to move to what they call the ‘big city’ here. It is the town one highway stop further and has a Walmart in it. So we bonded over our hatred of happy people.”

Bucky grabbed a box of cookies as he continued speaking, not needing to ask if Steve wanted some because they were the exact cookies they always ate together as kids. Bucky opened the bag of Double Stuff Oreos and took a break from his story to split open his cookie and start licking the icing out in a way that Steve still remembered driving him absolutely nuts as a puberty-stricken teen. 

“After the co-op ended, I still worked on the farm after school and through the summer and continued through my senior year. Over time, the happy people seemed less annoying now that I had something to do. I mean, between that and the mother encouraged therapy, I started to find my groove. When I turned eighteen and graduated high school I thought about coming back, I really did. I even drove up once to do a college interview at NYU and was going to surprise you. But I got there and everything was wrong and different somehow so I came back. My dad passed shortly after that and when he did mom wanted to sell the house so she could move closer to her work and into a smaller house. I had some savings from my farm job, but she spoiled me and gave me the extra I needed for the downpayment to buy this little farm, and then I’ve spent the last ten years fixing it up.”

Steve smiled, unsure of how to address the obvious sad points of the story. He wishes he could have been there for his friend, wishes he would have known but this isn’t about what he wishes, “I’m sorry about your dad, Buck.” 

“It sucks, but that’s part of life, I suppose. He always liked you though. He was always telling me to invite you to come visit the suburbs and hang out.” Bucky laughed but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. 

“I would have liked that.” Steve’s voice was quieter this time as he looked at the bag of Oreos, grabbing one just for something to do with his hands. 

“I know.” Bucky smiled and caught Steve’s eye, that twinkle returning. “And so that was my weird story, but are you going to explain what the hell happened to you?” Bucky’s arms gestured at Steve’s form causing a laugh to burst from deep within Steve’s chest. 

“Mine’s not all that exciting. My backup moved away.” Steve laughed, knowing Bucky would remember the dozens of times he’d have to pull a still swinging Steve out of some scuffle with some boy three times his weight. “My mom got mad at me for continuously coming home with black eyes after you were gone, so she signed me up for some boxing and martial arts classes. I had all kinds of free time after school now that you weren’t there to keep me busy with all your crazy ideas and adventures, so I got pretty into it I guess. Then you know, puberty happened and it felt like overnight all of my pants were too short and my shirts were too tight.” 

“Still getting in fights, Rogers?” 

“I try not to in my old age,” Steve teased. “But at least now I’m not some angry little chihuahua biting at the big guy’s ankles. I can hold my own.” 

“I’ll bet you can.” Bucky’s eyes wandered over Steve’s body for half a second before he seemed to catch himself and snap them back to his eyes. 

Steve couldn’t help but notice, and felt the skin on his neck start to heat up as a blush creep over his chest. He noticed he had been holding the same cookie for too long without eating it, and decided to try something. He split the cookie the way Bucky always had, the way he had constantly teased Bucky about, and brought the half with the icing to his mouth. With his tongue just barely past his lips he dragged the Oreo across, scooping up some of the icing. His eyes watched Bucky’s but Bucky’s eyes were watching his mouth, oblivious to Steve’s gaze. Bucky absentmindedly ran his tongue along his lips and drew in a sharp breath. 

Interesting. Steve thought to himself. That’s something he’s not used to. 

Bucky turned his head to look at the clock. “It’s getting pretty late, you must be tired from driving?” 

“I’m actually okay, but if you’re tired or if you have to wake up early to do farm chores or whatever the heck Farmer Bucky has to do that’s totally fine.” 

Bucky smiled and threw a tea towel at Steve’s head with a laugh. The tension was temporarily broken but not removed from Steve’s mind at all. 

They continued talking for hours, eventually making their way to the couch with their bag of cookies. They reminisced about their childhood in Brooklyn, Steve updating him on what shops and restaurants were still around. Steve talked about his job in Marketing that he hated, telling Bucky all about the huge fight - verbal only, he insisted- he had with his boss after he refused to participate in the Chick-fil-A campaign. They fell into their comfortable pattern of finishing each other’s sentences and it already felt like they had never been apart as they talked until they both drifted off laying opposite each other on the same couch, legs tucked up under the other’s arm.


	3. Chapter 3

Steve felt something scratch against his cheek once, twice, and then a third time. As he opened his eyes he was greeted by the bright yellow eyes and soft white face of Alpine. She was perched happily on his shoulder, and when she saw his eyes open she happily butted her head into his. 

“Sure, you get gentle kisses but when she wants to wake me up she sticks her butt in my face,” Steve heard Bucky mumble, his voice still raspy from sleep. 

Steve felt Bucky’s arm tighten around his legs, holding them up onto the couch. They were a lot bigger than they used to be when they shared a couch, with Steve’s new bulky body and all of Bucky’s farm boy muscles, but they seemed to make it work. 

Steve continued petting Alpine, enjoying the gentle nuzzles from her before he got up to stretch his muscles. His legs felt cold when he removed them from Bucky’s side, and he could almost swear there was a bit of resistance when he tried to pull his legs out of Bucky’s grip. 

“So much for the super comfy guest bed I was promised, huh?” Steve’s back cracked as he leaned from one side to the other. 

“Hey, it’s there. Not my fault you didn’t use it.” Bucky mumbled as he rolled towards the back of the couch, eyes still closed. Steve fondly remembered how much Bucky hated mornings, and felt a little comforted in finding another thing that hasn’t changed about him despite the fact he hadn’t seen him in a decade.   
Steve grabbed the pillow that he had been lying on and threw it at Bucky’s head. Bucky’s eyes shot open and then his head whipped back to Steve with a glare. 

“So it’s going to be like that huh, you have no idea what you’ve started.” 

Bucky grabbed the pillow that had hit him and launched it at Steve as he giggled and ran away. Bucky grabbed the other pillows from the couch and launched them, hitting Steve in the back of his head as he zoomed into the hall. 

Bucky chased after Steve, following him into what Steve quickly realized was Bucky’s bedroom as he grabbed a pillow from the bed and smashed it against Bucky’s body as he barrelled into the room. Bucky didn’t hesitate and fully tackled Steve despite the barrage of pillow attacks, launching him backwards until his back was flat on the bed and Bucky was on top of him holding his arms above his head. 

They had wrestled like this all the time as teens, but Steve’s body was bigger now, and there was absolutely no separation in their bodies any more. Steve remembers Bucky pinning him as a kid all the time, even as teens, but Steve never remembers feeling the weight of Bucky pressed into him so firmly. He swallows as his eyes look into Bucky’s who seems to be making the same realization. Bucky clears his throat and climbs off. 

“This is not the guest room, but this bed is comfy I guess, so you were half right.” Is Bucky’s voice shaky? Steve couldn’t quite tell. He must just be out of breath. Steve was treated to one of Bucky’s pillows to his face as Bucky turned to walk to the ensuite bathroom. 

Steve found himself completely enveloped by a nostalgic smell that could only be Bucky. His pillow smelled like the laundry detergent Bucky’s mom always used -the fancy brand name stuff- and then was mixed with the conditioner that he knew Bucky had always loved. He remembered when Bucky’s hair was longer that he’d flip it around all the time sending the scent that Steve could only describe as luxurious into the air. Even now that Bucky had shorter hair, he seemed to still love that softness he was always going on about. 

Steve quickly removed the pillow from his face as he heard Bucky walk back into the room. 

“I’m just going to take a quick shower if that’s okay with you. Then I will make you breakfast. There’s the other bathroom down the hall if you want to shower, there should be towels and stuff in there. I’ve got plenty of hot water to go around.” 

“I’ll bet you do.”Steve retorted before raising up to his elbows to turn to Bucky. As he did, his breath caught in his throat and his mouth went completely dry. Bucky stood in the doorway to his bathroom as the shower started steaming up the room in nothing but a towel wrapped low on his hips. Steve couldn’t figure out how to make words, instead he just nodded with his eyes too wide and watched as Bucky disappeared behind the bathroom door. 

Steve immediately jumped off of the bed, fixing up the covers and replacing the pillows before stomping quickly into the bathroom across the hall. He flattened his back against the door and closed his eyes while he took some deep breaths. He couldn’t be acting like this. It was bad enough that he used to stare at Bucky when they were younger, but now, he’s old enough to know better. He can’t think about his friend in that way. Not anymore. 

Steve’s shower was colder than he’d usually choose, but not because there wasn’t plenty of hot water as Bucky had promised. Steve realized after he got out that he had left his bag in the living room, and didn’t really want to put back on his grimey clothes from the day before. He opened the door just a crack to see if he could hear the water still running. He thought he did, so he wrapped his towel tight around his hips and stepped quietly out into the living room. 

It was easy enough to find his bag on the chair that Bucky had put it on the previous night but as he grabbed it he wasn’t expecting the strap of the duffle bag to snag on the back of the chair. The chair toppled loudly to the ground as Steve stepped away, making him wince and roll his eyes. Pork Chop let out a loud ‘boof’, clearly annoyed that his snore-filled slumber was disturbed. Steve turned to lift the bag and the chair from the floor, but as he did the towel’s end untucked itself and flopped to the floor. 

“Woah, sorry, Stevie!” Bucky said with a laugh from behind Steve. 

Steve shot up like a bullet, holding his duffle instead of the towel. He positioned it precariously in front of himself and felt the blush rush from his hairline to his toes. 

“I forgot my clothes and the chair got snagged and I woke up the dog so sorry,” Steve babbled as Bucky maintained eye contact. 

“All good,” Bucky smirked. “Not the first time I’ve seen your ass. Although I must say, it’s gotten a bit more oomph to it now.” 

Steve looked down at the floor, unable to handle the megawatt smile that Bucky was teasing him with right now. 

“Hardeeharhar,” Steve deadpanned as he carefully reached down to the floor for his towel but as he did he started to lose his grip on his duffle bag so he had to stand back up to adjust. 

Bucky rolled his eyes at him and walked close to him and reached down to grab the towel. While he was bent down, Alpine chirped her way over and distracted Bucky for a moment as he began to pet the cat. 

“Ahem.” Steve tried to angle his body a bit away, far too aware of the short distance between Bucky and his lower half. 

Bucky’s eyes met Steve’s, and without looking at the towel he grabbed it. The look Bucky was giving Steve should be illegal. At least that’s what Steve thought as he looked down to his former best friend on his knees in front of him. Bucky stood, and instead of handing Steve the towel, he took it upon himself to wrap it around his hips. Bucky came in so close that Steve could feel his breath against his neck, and was doing everything in his power to ignore the feeling of Bucky’s callused fingers as he traced the top of the towel as he wrapped it around. 

Steve was fairly certain he hadn’t taken a full breath since he got out of the shower. He was certain he was going to either pass out or explode when finally Bucky finished tucking the ends of the towel securely and stepped out of Steve’s space and back towards the kitchen. Steve felt himself take the biggest breath as he rushed back to the bathroom without a word. 

Steve got dressed slowly, impeded by a situation that seemed to refuse to go away no matter what Steve thought about. He changed into his comfy jeans, tried to tuck himself into his boxer briefs in a way that would conceal himself, and to be safe pulled a huge chunky sweater on top of his t-shirt. 

When he returned to the kitchen, Bucky was pouring two cups of coffee and grabbing the milk from the fridge. He added milk to one of the mugs and handed it to Steve before taking a sip of his black. Something about the way Bucky remembering how he liked his coffee brought him a lot of joy. They used to go to coffee shops together all the time to do homework, drinking coffee just to make themselves feel older. Now they needed it because staying up all night talking doesn’t agree as well with an almost thirty-year-old body. 

Steve sipped the warm drink silently and waited for Bucky to finish getting food out for his pets. He listened as Bucky quietly talked to them both as if they were able to understand. Asking them how they slept, what their plans were for the day, and if they liked their food. Steve couldn’t help the smile that crept across his face. 

“What?” Bucky’s innocent smile plastered on his face, “I like my little weirdo buddies.” 

“I know, it’s just cute.” 

Bucky blushed. That never happened to Bucky. Bucky was always the one to make people blush with his cool, confident swagger. Steve desperately wanted to leave it alone, but his brain wouldn’t let him. He was going to be running that little moment in his head over and over, he just knew it. 

“Are you hungry? I promised you the best pancakes in town, right?” Bucky asked, turning around back to his fridge. 

“Starving! Just let me go grab my bag so I can get out of your hair after breakfast. I’m sure you’ve got a lot of farming stuff to do.” Steve stumbled over the last words. He didn’t want to leave, but just because he was there doesn’t mean that Bucky should stop everything.

Bucky started unloading ingredients from the fridge and grabbed a large stainless steel bowl from the cabinet. “Get ready for the best pancakes you’ve ever had, Stevie.” 

It wasn’t long before Bucky had whipped up a stack of pancakes that looked like they belonged in a magazine. He placed the plate in front of Steve and one for himself and motioned for him to eat. 

Steve loved pancakes, Bucky knew that. It was the thing that Steve’s mom would make every Sunday, so it would often be the breakfast they’d share after their childhood sleepovers. Steve took his first bite and couldn’t help the sound that came out of his mouth. He felt embarrassed by it only for a moment given how it sounded, but when he opened his eyes he saw Bucky staring back at him with a similar look that definitely didn’t seem like it was about pancakes. It was gone in a single blink, so fast that Steve wasn’t sure if he was imagining it. 

“So, you never really explained why you’re in the area? I know you were driving, but it’s kind of a weird place to drive.” Bucky shoved a huge bite of pancakes into his mouth. 

“Oh, umm,” Steve paused. He didn’t quite know how to answer that because he didn’t really have a reason. “Spontaneous road trip, I guess. Grabbed a bag of clothes and jumped in the car and took off.” 

“Steven Grant Rogers, you are full of shit.” Bucky said without hesitation. “You’ve never done anything spontaneous in your life unless I dragged you into it.” 

“Nuhuh!” Steve whined. 

“Yuhuh!” Bucky laughed back. 

“Hey, it’s been a long time since I saw you. Besides, I was always spontaneous. You think I planned to get in all those fights?” 

“Honestly, yes.” Bucky tilted his head to the side. “I’m fairly certain that you would leave your house every single day planning to find someone to punch. Not just to attack them or anything, you weren’t some kind of bully, but you definitely had a need to save people from the real bullies.” 

“Ha ha very funny. I never planned on it. I specifically tried not to fight, Buck. You think it was fun getting my ass kicked? No! But I did it because I’m a spontaneous guy.” 

“Impulsive and spontaneous are different I think. You have these impulses that make you do the things you think are right. Spontaneous people, myself included, do random fun stuff because its’ fun.” 

“So you’re a spontaneous guy? Mr. Mortgage on a farm with a dog, cat, and however many goats?” 

Bucky chuckled. “Okay point taken.” 

“You weren’t spontaneous, you were just trying to distract me.” Steve got up and began to clear the dishes, accidentally standing too close as Bucky stood to do the same. Their chests were almost touching as Steve leaned down to grab the dish. 

“You cooked, I clean. Sit down, Mr. Spontaneous.” Steve said in a hushed tone, too close to Bucky, trying to not get caught as his eyes peeked to his lips. 

Bucky didn’t sit back in his chair, but followed him to the kitchen and sat at the bar stool, watching Steve as he scrubbed the syrup from the plates. 

“Alright, you might have a point. You do kind of rush in like a bull in a china shop. Even when you were just calf-sized.” 

Steve responded with an exaggerated sigh. “I know, I know, I was small. No need to keep teasing me ya Jerk.” 

He hoped Bucky knew he was kidding but the tone of his words came out a bit more cutting than he meant it to. 

“Hey Stevie,” Bucky got up and walked around the counter to the sink. He waited for Steve to make eye contact with him, turning his body though his hands were still holding a wet cup. “I think you were a wonderful little calf-sized guy, and you’re a wonderful big ol’ bull. I said it to you when we were kids and I’ll say it again now. It’s what’s inside that counts.” 

Steve chuckled to try to break the awkward tension and hide his embarrassment. “You sound like an afterschool special.” 

“I’m serious!” Bucky’s hand reached out and grabbed the belt loop on Steve’s tight jeans and shook him a little, forcing him to face Bucky properly. With his hands now on his hips and Steve’s hands awkwardly dripping on the floor, Bucky tugged Steve in close and wrapped his arms tightly around his waist. 

Steve wasn’t sure what to do with his dripping hands, he was half frozen from the feeling of Bucky’s body, and half frozen because he was just a disaster human who didn’t know what to do in this kind of situation. He didn’t feel like Bucky was releasing him any time soon, so he started melting more into the hug, and then carefully squeezed with his forearms instead of the dripping wet hands. Steve felt Bucky’s hands start circling on his back, tracing tiny circles with his fingers. He desperately wanted this to be something more than a friendly comforting hug and so did his body. 

He felt the rush of blood heading south and he knew he needed to get away before his friend knew something was wrong. His only option, the soggy hands. He reached around Bucky and pulled on the back of his shirt, and wiped his cold hands on the exposed skin of his neck. He forced himself not to think about the fact that he was touching his skin, he forced himself not to acknowledge the tiny gasp that Bucky let out when he started to pull on his shirt, and he just started giggling as he sent drips of water down Bucky’s back. 

“Punk!” Bucky laughed as he shoved him off. 

Steve cleaned the rest of the dishes while Bucky switched his shirt. Steve looked up as he heard Bucky returning from around the corner, but what he wasn’t expecting was shirtless Bucky. 

Bucky was holding the burgundy shirt in his hands, saying some kind of words Steve was sure he’d process in a second as he lifted the shirt over his head. It was like the world was in slow motion for Steve. Stretching his arms up, Steve could see every muscle in his friend’s strong stomach along with the band of his underwear peeking out. He forced himself to look away and continue putting away dishes. 

“Steve?” Bucky asked, unfortunately fully clothed, “Did you hear me?” 

“Oh, no sorry I missed that.” 

“I was saying, if you’re being spontaneous does that mean you are free from any kind of timeline? Do you have to leave right away?” 

“No, I don’t have anywhere to be. I don’t want to impose though, you’ve got stuff to do.” 

Bucky waved him off, “So what! Besides, I have help for the farm so they can manage for a couple of days. Or, if you want to learn what it’s like to live that good, calm farm life, I can show you! You said you hate your job, right? Well, maybe you should do what I did and just become a farmer.” 

Steve winces at the mention of his job. He hadn’t really given the full story yet but he figured it didn’t really matter for just one day. 

“Steve,” Bucky caught him. Bucky always caught him. “What’s up?” 

“I don’t have that job anymore. I got fired.” He looks to his socks, and kicks a piece of cat hair lightly. 

“Oh,” Bucky’s brain looks like it’s moving a mile a minute as his eyes dart back and forth. “So you have even more time to stay!” His smile returns and is impossibly contagious. 

Steve beams back at Bucky. Everyone back home had been telling him to just keep pushing through because the next promotion would make it worth it. His boss was an asshole and didn’t care when Steve was unhappy, his coworkers all seemed like they were slimy and greedy, all just waiting for their chance to cut someone down. He just wanted to draw, it was a total accident that he ended up as a graphic designer in a marketing firm. He hated it since the first day. He held out, and he held out, getting promoted here and there, placated with big bonuses and fancy perks, but he felt a part of himself dying. The Chick-fil-A fight with his boss was the last straw. They told him to get with the program or get out. So he got out. And he got in his car and he started driving. 

“Yeah,” Steve’s smile softened, “I guess I can stay a couple of days. I mean, if it’s okay with you and your roommates.” 

With that Pork Chop jumped his big feet up onto Steve, almost knocking him over. 

“I think they’ll manage just fine,” Bucky laughed.


	4. Chapter 4

Bucky drove Steve into town to go pick up his car, stopping at the supermarket along the way to get supplies for the next few days. They grabbed all the snacks they used to eat as kids, but then some actual food because they no longer had their moms to make sure they didn’t survive on only Oreos. 

Bucky even grabbed a bathrobe and threw it in the cart, laughing as he did. “Just in case.” 

Steve grabbed himself an extra pack of socks, knowing he forgot to pack more than the ones he was wearing, tossing them into his own basket he was carrying along with a pack of clean underwear. He motioned to the check out when he caught back up with Bucky but Bucky just tossed him the keys.

“You go ahead, I’ll meet you at the truck. I need to grab a couple more things.” 

“I can wait, it’s not a problem.” 

“No!” Bucky’s almost urgent reply made Steve stop in his tracks, “I mean, just go head I’ll be two seconds I promise!” His big smile finished the sentence and he disappeared in the aisles of the store. 

Steve paid for his clothes, and went out to the truck, followed very shortly after by Bucky. 

“Got you something.” Bucky said in a low tone. 

“The bathrobe? I thought you were kidding about that.” Steve rolled his eyes.

“No, well, yes, but I got you two things then.” 

“Bucky, I’m a guest, you’re not supposed to buy me presents!” 

“Too bad. Call it a belated birthday present or something if you must.” Bucky started fishing through the plastic bags, some items starting to spill out. 

Steve was watching as Bucky frantically searched, oblivious to the items cascading from the bags. It wasn’t until a bottle of lube all but launched from the bag and landed on the bench seat of the truck between them that Bucky realized what happened. 

“Oh thanks, you shouldn’t have…” Steve joked. 

Bucky’s blush, the one Steve was so unfamiliar with, started to blossom across his cheeks. 

“Very funny,” Bucky left it on the seat and continued looking, finally yelling a triumphant “Ah ha!” 

He pushed the item into Steve’s chest before he could grab it. Steve grabbed it as it fell into his lap, and found it was a simple sketchbook. 

“I know you were a big time marketing guy, but I remember you used to draw because you liked to draw. So maybe you can use your little farm vacation to do something you like just for the sake of doing it?” Bucky’s smile was bright and sweet. 

Steve was stunned and flipped through the blank pages, feeling the thick paper just waiting to be drawn on. He looked back to Bucky’s amused expression and nodded with a laugh. 

“Do I still get to keep the lube?” 

Bucky slapped him on the shoulder as he finally cleared up the rest of his items and started up the truck. Bucky dropped Steve off at his car and made sure to drive cautiously so he wouldn’t get lost on his way back to the farm. There were a lot of winding roads, and once you hid the gravel, it seemed like just a bunch of identical fields for miles. 

When they arrived back, they were once again greeted by a single bark from Pork Chop. Steve helped Bucky put away the groceries, the lube seemingly vanished from the bags. Steve assumed Bucky tucked it away so he wouldn’t get teased again, but it was all in good fun. 

“Hey, quick question, Buck.” 

“What’s up?” Bucky had already broken into the Pringles and was shoving three at a time into his mouth. 

“Are you seeing someone?” Steve paused, realizing what it sounded like and desperately regretting his word choice. “I mean, aren’t I going to be in the way if you have a date over?” 

Bucky chuckled, “No, once again, you are not in the way here. I like having you here.” The question Steve cared about hadn’t been answered. “And no, I am not seeing anyone.” 

Steve released a breath he didn’t realize he was holding. 

“What about you, stud.” Bucky crunched again, offering the tube of chips to Steve. “You got a special someone back home? Aren’t they going to be worried about you while you’re gone.” 

“Stud?’ Steve’s eyebrow quirked up with pursed lips, resulting in a shrug and laugh from Bucky. “I’m afraid I’ve been too busy with work to really see anyone much lately.”

“Well that’s good,” Bucky cleared his throat, “I mean, it’s good that you don’t have anyone to rush back to so we can hang out more. I mean it when I say I like having you around.” 

Steve smiled back at him, but then felt the words come out of his mouth before he could stop them. “Why did you stop calling?” Immediately after the words were out of his mouth, he regretted them. “Sorry, I mean, fuck. Sorry, I am just happy to be around you again too. I missed you.” 

Bucky’s smile faltered as his eyebrows pulled in tight, making that concerned face Steve used to always see when Bucky would be cleaning him up after a fight. 

“Stevie,” Bucky stepped closer cautiously, “I really missed you too. I told you, I hated it out here when I first moved. I wanted to go home all the time. I tried to run away once. I made it to the bus station before I realized I didn’t have any money to buy a train ticket. Every time I called you I was reminded of my home, and it felt so good to hear your voice again, but then we’d hang up and I would be alone again. It hurt so much to hang up. So eventually I stopped calling so I could be selfish and save myself the pain. Then time passed, I came down like I said for NYU, but I tried to stop by to see you but the neighbour guy, what's his name? Stan or something, he said you were out with friends. And then I was just happy that you found a new group of friends to hang out with I didn't want to distract you or take you away from your fun. So I came back here and tried to move on. But then I saw you, and you were the exact same as always. You’ve still got that crooked nose and those bright eyes. The beard is new, the muscles are new, the height is new, but you’re still my Stevie. You’re still my home.” 

Steve felt like a bus had hit him. “You’re not selfish.” Was the only thing he could think to say. Because no one was ever allowed to bad mouth Bucky Barnes, even Bucky Barnes himself. 

“Steve,” Bucky tried to interrupt. 

“No, you got to go, now it’s my turn. Your calls were my favourite thing, but I didn’t blame you when you stopped calling because honestly, I felt the same way. When you hung up, it was like you were leaving me all over again. I’d cry pretty much every time.” 

“Steve,” Bucky’s voice was softer this time, almost pleading him to stop. 

“I threw myself into all that stupid martial arts shit to distract me, keep my brain off you, but you were always there, just waiting. I know you always thought I loved New York, but without you it’s just loud, angry, and damn Buck, it smells so bad.” 

Bucky let out a small laugh as if it escaped against his will. 

Steve stepped closer to Bucky, deciding to finally be truthful. “I hated it after you left. It’s how I realized it wasn’t New York that I loved.” Steve swallowed hard as his hand reached up to Bucky’s cheek, gentle grazing the sharp angles. 

Bucky launched himself up, crashing his lips to Steve’s. Even though Steve had been the one to step closer, he was caught off guard by Bucky’s sudden enthusiasm and had to take a step back to catch himself from falling. Bucky recoiled, regret clear on his face but Steve just steadied his feet and threaded his hand through the fluffy hair and pulled him in close. 

This kiss was slow, deliberate and yet still filled with fire. It was a kiss twenty years in the making. One that Steve had been thinking about since he learned what kissing was as a young child when his mom told him that it was something that two people do when they love each other. He remembered telling her that he should make sure to give Bucky the best kiss then, because they were best friends. His mom laughed and said that he should always make sure the other person wants the kiss too. Steve was pulled out of his memories as he felt Bucky’s hand flatten against his lower back and press him even closer against his body, forcing a soft moan from his lips. 

Steve stopped breathing when he felt Bucky’s tongue run along his lower lip, asking for entrance. Steve gladly granted it, he knew he’d give Bucky the moon if he asked. Their tongues wrestled and their hands roamed each other’s backs until both of them were gasping for air. 

They parted, sneaking in a final soft peck before separating. Bucky’s hands remained on Steve’s small waist, rubbing slowly back and forth. 

“I think you’ve still got the same size waist as you used to have. I feel like I could still wrap my hands around it, just like I used to be able to,” Buck smiled. 

Steve laughed and stepped back into Bucky, resting his forehead against his friend. They stood like that for a moment, each catching their breath. Bucky continued to run his hands along Steve’s sides, while Steve played with the wavy curls of Bucky’s now shorter hair. 

“Do you ever miss your long hair?” Steve whispered, tilting his head to kiss along the edge of his ear. 

“Not really,” Bucky’s voice hitched, “Although it does feel good to have your fingers running through it again.” 

Steve’s hand tightened in the hair enough to pull Bucky’s head into an angle that he could once again attack his lips. Remembering how when they were younger, Bucky used to let Steve play with his hair all the time. They would try out a bunch of braids, crazy curls, and sometimes Bucky would just lay his head on Steve’s lap and let him run his fingers through it. 

“Stevie,” Bucky whined as his hips pressed into Steve’s. “Is this a bad idea?” 

“I thought you were spontaneous?” Steve’s lips trailed down Bucky’s neck, alternating tender kisses with gentle bites. 

Bucky moaned and dropped his head back, laughing at himself. “I really didn’t invite you over for this purpose you know? I want you to know that, okay? We don’t have to do anything, but I just saw you and I couldn’t not go see you. I thought you were some kind of mirage at first.” Bucky whimpered as Steve worshipped his collarbones. 

“Buck,” Steve mumbled into Bucky’s neck, “I want you. I have always wanted you. Do you want me?” Steve was proud of his ability to be direct for once in his life. 

Bucky seemed just as stunned. “Yes. Yes, yes, yes.” Bucky continued mumbling as Steve reached his hands under Bucky’s shirt, his fingers tracing the lines of his abs and hip bones that he so proudly displayed earlier. “Wait!” 

Steve removed his hands immediately and stepped a bit away from him. “Buck?” 

Bucky looked at him, his eyes dark and his lips red and swollen. He was panting and even though his hair was a bit shorter, it managed to have been pulled in every direction. He looked like a total mess, and Steve was a bit proud that he made him look this way. 

“I have to go feed the goats before, I mean, not before, I mean, oh my god.” He covered his face in his hands and laughed. 

Steve smiled and stepped closer, hands resting on his shoulders, thumbs tracing little circles in to try to relieve the tension he could feel. “Okay, no problem. Can I help you?” 

“I’ll be so fast, I swear. You stay here, I’ll be fifteen minutes tops. I just have to go feed the goats and then I’ll text the kid who is helping me on the farm to let him know I won’t be around today so he can take care of everything else. Then I’ll be back, and we will resume this.” Bucky leaned in and gave Steve the softest, quickest kiss before dashing out of the door. 

Steve found himself standing stunned in the middle of the room, straining against his jeans. He didn’t fully understand how he ended up in this situation, but in ‘fifteen minutes tops’, something was going to happen. That was the plan. He figured he may as well keep himself busy, so he grabbed his brand new sketchbook and a pencil he found on Bucky’s desk, and set himself up on the spare room bed. He looked at the blank page hoping for inspiration, but the only thing he could think about was Bucky. Instead of holding himself back, he decided to go for it. 

It started out with a rough outline, then slowly he went back through, adding the details, sharpening up the jaw, and smudging the pencil just right to give the appropriate depth. He knew Bucky’s face better than he knew his own, even before they reunited. He had drawn him often as a teenager, and Bucky was still very similar. Sure, he had filled out a bit, and he lost a bit of the baby fat from his cheeks, but that devilish grin and those sparkling eyes that’d make anyone fall in love instantly were the same. 

Time always passed strangely when Steve was drawing. He became so hyper focused when he was in the zone it was like no time passed at all. It wasn’t until he completed a small section of Bucky’s jaw that he realized his phone was buzzing. Looking at the time, he realized it had been an hour already and still no Bucky, but there was a message from him. 

“Help! I’ve been trapped!” 

Steve shot out of his bed and ran outside. He didn’t even know where Bucky went but he took off running to the nearest outbuilding he could find. The first one seemed to house equipment, the second was full of hay, but the third was a large barn. He walked past a bunch of goats, and called out. 

“Buck?” 

“Stevie!” Bucky laughed, the joyful sound sending a wave of relief through Steve’s veins, but didn’t stop him from following the voice. 

When he found Bucky, he found him sitting on the barn floor, in a pile of wood shavings hugging a tiny baby goat. 

“Look! He’s trapped me.” 

“Bucky, I swear to all that is holy if you ever do that again I will murder you.” 

Bucky just laughed and waved Steve into the stall. The mother goat stood by protectively, and Steve held his hand out to wait for her approval. While it wasn’t the same enthusiasm as Pork Chop or Alpine, she seemed to approve as she resumed eating the food in the bucket. 

Bucky handed Steve the tiny goat with a giddy look on his face. “Would you like to name him?” 

Steve grabbed the baby goat gently petting his soft floppy ears and smiling when he let out a little tiny noise. “How about we call him...Brooklyn.”

Bucky smirked and nodded. “Perfect.”


	5. Chapter 5

They spent a while outside with the baby goat, making sure little Brooklyn was as cleaned up and comfy before Bucky brought Steve out to the field with a bunch of baby goats who had been born a couple of weeks ago. They were old enough to play, and young enough to be curious about this new guy. They jumped and ran around as Bucky introduced them one by one, making Steve melt a little more with each new name and story. They apparently all had unique little personalities and Bucky knew them all so well. 

Bucky also introduced him to what he called his “Gals”. They were his trusty group of girls that were the best for milking. He talked about each of them with such reverence and understanding of each individual creature, it reminded Steve of when they would play with their stuffed animals as kids and Bucky gave each of them such an epic backstory.

“What’s that gooney smile for over there, mister?” Bucky laughed while scratching one shorter goat behind her ears. 

“You.” Steve stated simply. “I just like you, is all.” 

“That’s very good then.” Bucky winked and started walking towards Steve. He grabbed his hand as he walked by, interlacing their fingers and pulled him along back to the house. The herd of goats followed closely, but as they got to the fence and ducked under Bucky’s gals let out a small little grunt and headed back for the feed. 

As they walked into the house, a small car pulled up and out popped a young kid, who waved enthusiastically at Bucky. 

“Hello Mr. Barnes! Did she have the baby yet?”

“She did! They’re in the barn, Steve named him Brooklyn. I’ll be in the house Peter but I’ll talk to you tomorrow, okay?” 

Peter seemed to nod with confusion, but then his eyes followed down Bucky’s arm to where his hand linked with Steve’s. He nodded more enthusiastically and then laughed as he switched his shoes into large rubber boots while standing next to his car. 

Steve waved at him and got a similar enthusiastic wave in return. But Bucky pulled him into the house before he could say anything more. The door slammed shut and Steve found his back pressed against it with Bucky pressed into his chest. This was such a shift from sweet farmer Bucky and he was completely okay with it. 

He moaned as Bucky’s hands reached under the hem of his shirt and teased along the top edge of his pants. His own hands struggled to find purchase on anything because they wanted to touch everything. 

“Listen, Stevie, first, we should talk a bit more, then we should shower because we smell like goats. But I think we should maybe talk first.” Bucky finished his words by sealing his mouth over Steve’s in a hungry kiss. 

“Can’t talk much with your tongue in my throat,” Steve joked when Bucky pulled back. 

“I know but you’re just so,” Bucky licked into Steve’s mouth again and finished his sentence with an animalistic growl. 

Steve laughed in disbelief. It wasn’t like he didn’t know that people found him attractive now, that was clear when he used to go to bars in New York, back when he still had free time. But he wasn’t used to this much attention from someone he actually cared about. He was frazzled and by the looks of it, Bucky was feeling the same. 

“Okay, I’ll make you a deal,” Steve started walking forward, kissing Bucky and forcing him into the dining room chair at one end of the table. He stood up, releasing Bucky’s mouth with a bit of a pop, he walked over to the other end of the table and sat down. “You stay there, I’ll stay here, and you can tell me what you want to talk about.”

“I just think it’s important to clear up,” Bucky’s voice was strained and Steve noticed him reaching down to adjust himself. “I just want you to know that even though you’re only here for a few days, that’s not why I want you. I wanted you before, but I didn’t think I could have you. I didn’t think you thought about me like that. To be fair, I didn’t think you wanted anyone like that.” 

Steve let out a loud laugh that startled the dog who was calmly resting by the couch ignoring everything that was going on. “You thought I didn’t want anyone? I wanted you! I only wanted you, that’s why there was never anyone else.” 

“Wait… Never.” Bucky interjected. 

“Bucky.” Steve rolled his eyes. “Okay, not never, but you know what I mean. Puberty came late, obviously.” Steve gestured at himself, knowing he was basically the spokesperson for late bloomers. “How about you, though? You walked around with a new person on your arm every second week once we got to high school. It was horrible. You would make out right beside me, kissing anyone and everyone except for me.” 

“I wanted you to be happy. For me, my puberty came right on time and I had way too many hormones that I didn’t know what to do with. I’m truly sorry if I hurt you though. I think part of me was trying to make you jealous. Or to make you realize I was more than just your pal Bucky. I wanted you to see me as desirable. And maybe I wanted you to notice the kind of person I was kissing. Did you never notice that I had a type? Or that you fit right into that type?” 

Steve blinked dumbly for a moment. His brain ran through a quick slideshow of the moments where Bucky would be kissing someone, someone blonde, someone with blue eyes, and usually someone smaller than him that he would often lift up in big spinning hugs. 

“But now I’m not your type anymore?” Steve raised a brow. “I’m not sure you could spin my around like you did with those people back then.” 

“Preferences change,” Bucky replied without hesitation. “Besides, I definitely could, I’m a strong super-farmer now. Which makes me a lot different than the guy you liked. You were into Brooklyn Bucky.”

“Preferences change,” Steve’s eyes are looking at him intently, he’s desperate to get his lips back on him, but he made a deal to talk first. Stupid responsible adult choices. 

“Stevie, I” Bucky cuts himself off and looks down to the table for a second. “I don’t know if I can do this.” 

Steve’s heart sinks a bit, but he will never be mad at Bucky for being honest. “Okay. We don’t have to do anything more. But, can I ask why?” 

Bucky is picking at the dirt under his fingernails to avoid eye contact. He takes a deep breath in and looks up to meet Steve’s eyes. 

“I don’t think I can handle losing you again.” 

Steve’s on his feet before he can stop himself and settles on the floor on his knees so his eyes are level with Bucky’s. 

“Listen, I lost you once, and even if we don’t, you know,” Steve smirks, “You’re stuck with me. No matter what, no matter where I go, you gave me your phone number and I’m going to use it.” 

Bucky blinks away some tears and forces a smile. “You sure about that?”

“Positive.” Steve says with his hands on either side of Bucky’s face, wiping a stray tear from his cheek. “Bucky, can I take you on a date?” 

“A date?” Bucky laughs, “Why?” 

“Because I like you and I think you like me and I think we’d have fun together.” 

“We’d obviously have fun,” Bucky asserts, “But you’re forgetting where you are, there’s nowhere in this town to go. Nowhere good at least.” 

“Alright, what if I make you dinner here and then we watch a movie. No funny business… Maybe.” 

“Maybe some.” Bucky adds. 

“Probably some, yes.” Steve kisses the tip of Bucky’s nose. 

“What about when you have to go home? What happens when you leave and I’m stuck alone with a herd of goats and a really angry cat?” 

“Babe, I mean, Buck,” Steve tried to hide it in case he was pushing too hard too fast. They hadn’t even been on a single date yet and he had basically already professed his devotion. “They invented this wonderful form of technology called the internet, it lets you send pictures and videos and even have long distance conversations with people all over the world.” 

Bucky slapped his arm playfully, “Shut up,” the slap turned into a caress. “You know what I mean.”

“Well, we will figure it out when the time comes. Let’s just make sure that you still like me now that I’m this enormous ogre of a man.” 

“Or yes, such a hideous ogre, so big and beefy, his shoulders so wide he must turn to the side to fit through doorways.” They both stood up laughing. 

“Go take a shower, you smell like a goat,” Steve teased, whipping Bucky with the dish towel. 

“Well so do you.” Bucky’s worry seemed to fade and his hunger for Steve started to return. “You could...come with me?” Bucky suggested with raised eyebrows. 

Steve walked up to Bucky, standing close with his hands ghosting gently over the sides. His voice was just above a whisper as he spoke, lips so close to Bucky’s they were almost touching. 

“I promised you a date first, but if after that date, you’re still open to seeing where this can go, what we can finally become, I will happily follow you to that shower. I will enthusiastically peel your shirt off, I will diligently remove your pants, and energetically lift you into the shower. I would be thrilled for the opportunity to clean you from top to bottom, making sure every inch of you was ready for what’s next. If you’re still open for it, if it’s what you wanted, I would give you anything and everything you’d want from me. Everything. But for now, I’m going to get the dinner started, and you will go shower.” 

Steve turned away without looking back, grabbing the chicken they had bought at the store to start preparing it. He could hear Bucky breathing heavily as he stood catching his breath. He finally turned away with a laugh. 

“You fucking punk.” Bucky’s chuckle followed him to his room. 

Steve giggled too, before beginning his dinner prep so he could go shower too. He definitely needed another cold shower if he was going to survive until later.

**Author's Note:**

> Not sure if this is anything anybody wants to read. I kind of just wrote it as an exercise for myself but figured I may as well post some of it in case I'm not the only one in need of more Stucky content.


End file.
